What began as an effort to increase physical activity in the students at Nathalia Secondary College has quickly become one of the most popular lunchtime activities.

Thanks to an Active Schools grant, the northern Victoria school has put in a golf simulator, which consistently has around 25-30 students eager to have a hit with their friends.

Nathalia Principal Daniel Robinson says that he knew the students were keen on golf, but the popularity of the simulator has exceeded his expectations.

"We've been running some golf PE classes utilising the local golf course and there was a bit of an interest there," he said.

"When I looked at the next round of Active Schools funding and how we could try and increase engagement in physical activity for kids, I could see how a golf sim and increasing students' ability to play golf could fit into that."

The primary catalyst for the simulator was to attract those students who may be more inclined to engage in video games or computers to get a bit more active, and while this has been achieved, most of the 120 students at Nathalia have given the sim a go.

"The students that you wouldn't associate with being the sporty type, they're all keen to utilise the golf simulator because it's a bit unique. They walk past the classroom and there's a full golf sim going, it draws them in," he said.

"Now it's starting to have a real flow on effect with a few of the students, they really want to improve and play more.

"They're now buying clubs, they're meeting on the weekends, playing out on the local course, and even travelling to other courses around to go play.

"Some of them are even trying to talk about getting handicaps. It's building a real passion for golf, which is awesome."

An added bonus of the simulator is that it has created a real social hub at the school where everyone is welcome.

"It's created a safe space for some of the students who hang out alone that they know they can go to," said Robinson.

"There's always a staff member there, there's people actively engaged, and they end up starting to have conversations with kids that they might not have otherwise.

"They know they can come in there and they can start having conversations and build relationships.

"We just know it's a safe space that they can go to, and it's an area of the school that wasn't occupied before which has now got a real buzz."

The nearby Drummond Golf Shepparton team were extremely helpful in the build of the simulator, and making sure that it was student friendly.

Robinson says that it has been a long time since Nathalia entered a team in the local interschool golf events, but that students are already expressing interest in helping the school make a comeback.